In the cross-country (also called Nordic) style of skiing, the ski shoe is secured to the ski only at the toe. This allows the so-called "kick and glide" motion for travelling over flat terrain when using the skis. In the downhill (or Alpine) style of skiing, on the other hand, the ski shoe or boot is fixed firmly to the ski both at heel and toe. This allows the skier to transfer weight selectively and precisely to the skis and particularly the ski edges, thereby permitting greater control of the skis for turning and maneuvering. There are other differences between the two styles of skiing, such as the cross-country ski generally being narrower, lighter and more flexible than the downhill ski, but the principal difference is in the binding of the skier's foot to the ski.
Under some circumstances, the cross country skier may desire the control of his or her skis that a downhill-type binding would give. One way to accomplish this is to provide a means for fixing the heel of a cross-country ski shoe to the ski. The invention provides such a means.
There have been bindings developed over the years to provide the option of securing the heel of a ski shoe or boot to the ski. Most of these are complex, or heavy, or hard to use, or require extensive modification of existing equipment. It is an object of this invention to provide a heel binding for a cross-country ski that is light, convenient to use with conventional equipment, and that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture. It is another object to provide such a heel binding with an adjustable heel release pressure when it is in the downhill mode to allow for release of the heel in the event of a serious fall.